


Wherever You Go (I Will Follow)

by daisygirl101



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Breath of the Wild Spoilers, Established Relationship, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Married Life, POV Second Person, Parenthood, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:55:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29827353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisygirl101/pseuds/daisygirl101
Summary: *Sequel to Where the Heart Is & Walking a Tightrope*Years beyond Calamity Ganon’s defeat, you’d found peace as Link’s wife and mother to his child. There was nothing like domestic bliss combined with being head over heels in love with your family you’d built from the ground up. They were a family worth fighting for, so when strange things start to happen in Hyrule once again, you stand at the ready beside Link.Adventure runs deep in your blood now, and wherever it calls you, you know that’s where you belong, even when your destination is unknown and your fate is untold.
Relationships: Link (Legend of Zelda)/You
Comments: 33
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **This takes place shortly after my oneshot Cyan, but you do not need to read that one first. It's also a sequel to Walking a Tightrope and its predecessor, Where the Heart Is. I strongly recommend reading those books first if you haven't before.**
> 
> Yeah, you guys remember back in November, how I said I couldn't stay away from these two? I was right, cause we're starting another adventure again! And on Breath of the Wild's anniversary, nonetheless. 
> 
> More exciting news: I started a fiverr account! This means I can take paid commissions (Been outta work for almost a year now, shoutout to Covid, thanks homie) for anything you'd like me to write for you! If you're interested, the link can be found in my profile! (It won't affect my work on AO3 and I'll still be posting frequently here.)
> 
> Now with all the boring stuff out of the way, off we go! This story will get weekly updates on Wednesdays from here on out. And a thank you to my wonderful beta for this book, who is simply THE BEST.

A soft breeze traveled through the royal gardens, making the blossoms in front of you sway gently. You watched the Silent Princesses in front of you drift slightly, the petals moving as if they were waving hello. You reached out and brushed your fingers across the blue petals with a smile. The sweet subtle smell of the Silent Princesses wafted by and you felt a thick cloak of peace fall onto your shoulders.

The peace was immediately shattered when you heard your daughter come running over. "Mommy! Look what I found!" You set your trowel down and dusted the dirt from your gardening gloves.

"What did you find, little hero?" you asked your six-year-old daughter, Mipha. She was the spitting image of you and your husband, Link. She had inherited your gorgeous hair and Link's stunning blue eyes. She had more energy than you could even fathom and she definitely kept you busy.

Mipha approached you with her hands clasped together. You dared to look into them and noticed that she'd caught a small lizard. You chuckled and looked up at her. "And who is this?"

"This is my friend, Lacy. She's a lizard."

"Oh wow. That's very cool. Make sure you're being nice to her. She's much smaller than we are and she’s probably scared." The statement troubled your daughter slightly.

"Oh. Can I put her here?" she asked and motioned to set the lizard down by your flowers. You quickly shook your head and stood from your kneeling position.

"No baby, let's put her over here," you replied and guided Mipha over to another corner of the garden. She set the lizard down and it quickly scurried off into the bushes.

"She ran away," she said, sadness creeping into her voice. You quickly looked around for something to distract her with.

"Hey little hero, want to help me in the garden?" you asked and took her hand. She looked up at you and smiled eagerly, her face suddenly alight with excitement. You picked her up and carried her over to the section of the garden that you'd earned years ago. "Which one is your favorite?"

You carried Mipha on your hip as she surveyed your plants from above. You had grown many things in the castle gardens after taking over Queen Zelda's research of Silent Princesses. You had a small section for edible herbs and another for medicinal herbs. Another section was filled with various vegetables for the cooks to use as they pleased. While you were away, the children and servants who lived in the castle took care of the gardens for you.

Your prized gem was at the end of the patch. A small cluster of Silent Princesses was growing quite happily thanks to the combined work of you, Purah, Zelda, and Link. You'd spent a year traveling across Hyrule with Link collecting soil samples and returning them to Purah in Hateno. With Zelda's notes and Purah's research, you were able to domestically grow Silent Princesses and remove the flower from the endangered species list.

When Mipha started squirming in your arms, you set her down. She wandered over to the patch of Silent Princesses and sat down in the dirt surrounding them. "I like these, Mommy."

"These are called Silent Princesses. Mommy and Daddy love this flower too, and so does your Auntie Zelda. They used to only grow in the wild, but now we can grow them here," you explained. You knelt beside her as you admired your prized flowers.

"Auntie Zelda likes these?" she asked and looked up at you. You fought the urge to roll your eyes. Mipha was utterly friendly with Zelda. You weren’t sure if it was Zelda's tendency to spoil your daughter or the fact that Zelda was true royalty, like your daughter dreamed of being, but those two were attached at the hip.

"Yes, Auntie Zelda loves these flowers."

"I love these flowers too!" Mipha decided and grasped onto one. She pulled at the petals lightly and you almost had a heart attack.

"Mipha, baby, we have to treat the flowers nicely. If we pull the petals off, they'll be sad," you said and pulled Mipha from the dirt patch and into your lap. She looked at the flowers and absentmindedly popped her dirty hand into her mouth. "Hey, silly, get your dirty hand out of your mouth. You'll get sick," you chided and pulled her hand from her mouth. She didn’t seem to mind and continued to stare at the flowers. "Daddy had a ring made for me that looks like a Silent Princess. See?" you said and held your hand out. Your engagement ring was still on your finger, right beside your wedding ring.

Mipha held her hands out and grasped your hand for a closer look. You felt her slobbery hand hold yours and sighed. You made a mental note to rinse your hands in the fountain before leaving the garden. "Pretty," she said as she rang her fingers over the stones in your ring.

"See how these look like the petals?" you explained as you pointed between your ring and the Silent Princesses in front of you.

"I wanna try it on!" Mipha declared and attempted to get the ring off of your finger. You gently pulled your hand from her grasp before she could do any damage.

"No, baby, you can't. It's a very expensive ring and I can't get another one if something happens to this one," you explained. She looked disappointed for a moment before popping her fingers back into her mouth. "Mipha," you scolded and pulled her hand back out. She huffed and wiggled out of your lap. "Go play just a little bit longer and then I promise we'll go inside and get a snack, okay?"

"Okay," she groaned and wandered off. You went back to your garden and tried to finish pulling weeds. You knelt over the dirt patch and gave a sigh. Gardening was exhausting sometimes. You sat back on your knees and brushed a hand across your cheek, probably smearing dirt somewhere.

You were about to lean forward again and pull more weeds, but two hands covered your eyes. You almost stumbled, but you gripped onto the arms of your silent attacker to keep your balance. When you felt the scars on their arms, you smiled. "Excuse me, but I was looking for the most beautiful woman in Hyrule. Have you seen her?"

"Link," you groaned and chuckled. You pulled his hands from your eyes and he moved to stand next to you, smiling down at you.

"Oh, there's my wife," Link teased you childishly. He helped you up and into his arms to wrap you in a hug.

"I'm all dirty from gardening," you complained as he squished you in a hug.

He hummed in your ear and smiled. "Just the way I like it."

"Link!" You laughed and wiggled out of his hold. He looked down at you as his smile grew. Link reached a thumb up and brushed some of the dirt from your cheek. His blue eyes shined as he admired you.

"You know, you somehow get more beautiful every day." The comment made your cheeks darken. Years of being married to this man and he still made you blush.

"I was covered in ash and blood on the day we met. I hope I'm more attractive now than I was then," you laughed. Link hooked his finger under your chin and stole a quick kiss.

"You made for a cute damsel in distress with a sprained ankle, my dear. The cutest I've ever seen," he teased. You shook your head and scoffed at him.

Mipha was busy exploring the garden while you spoke with Link. She was currently investigating a tree near the corner of the large walled-in property. She looked up at the tree and considered climbing it like she'd seen her dad do so many times.

Instead, a fleeting lizard caught her eye. She chased it gleefully until it disappeared under a rock. A rock wasn’t going to stop her from making a new friend, though. She lifted the rock with a small grunt and set it aside. Her eyes widened and she made a sound of wonder at the sight below the rock.

There was a strange glowing mass oozing below the rock. It was dark purple and red in color. It seemed to pulsate with hatred and had a gooey consistency to it. Mipha cocked her head to the side as she examined the substance. She squatted down and reached her hand out toward it, the childish naivety in her too much for her to refuse to touch the blob.

When her hand made contact, she quickly pulled back, the weird goo burning her skin slightly. She fell back onto her bottom with an 'oof'. When she looked at her hand, there was a strange slightly dark mark there, but she didn’t feel anything more.

"Speaking of cute, where's our little monster?" Link asked and looked around.

"Mipha!" you called out toward the rest of the garden. Before long, a small child appeared, tromping through the bushes. She broke into a full sprint with a wide grin when she noticed Link had returned from his morning meetings.

Link let go of you and knelt down slightly, arms open to catch his daughter. Mipha crashed into him and hung on tight. "Daddy!"

"Hey, little love," he greeted her and picked her up into his arms. "I've missed you all morning." Link came to stand beside you. You shook your head when you noticed all of the dirt under her fingernails. That would be fun to clean later. "Did you help Mommy in the garden?"

"Yes," she cheered.

"That's so nice of you, little love. I'm sure your mother appreciated that," Link said and gave a wink to you. "But I think we need to go inside now and get ready for tonight."

Your eyes widened suddenly and you almost gasped. "Tonight? Is the ball tonight?"

"Did you forget?" Link teased with a smile. "It's the one for the other important people of Hyrule. Zelda wants us to mingle a little better."

"Oh, no," you groaned. "I could have sworn it was tomorrow. I have so much to do and I have to be ready in time-"

"Hey, breathe," he comforted and used his free hand to lace your fingers with his. "Don’t worry so much, my flower. The servants already have a bath running for you, and Nina, the nurse that's always raving about your garden, has offered to watch Mipha when she gets too tired tonight. You remember Nana Nina, right, little love?" Link asked and looked at your daughter. She was looking at her hands as if they were a brand new discovery to her. When she heard her nickname, she looked up and nodded eagerly at Link. "So what do you think, Mipha? Should we go get ready for the ball tonight? Do you want to wear your pretty green dress?" he asked the girl on his hip.

"Yeah!" Mipha cheered with a gasp. Any opportunity to dress up and play princess was one Mipha didn’t miss. You chuckled and held onto Link's hand as you walked out of the garden together.

"But first we need to take a bath to clean you up," you warned your daughter. "I'm sure we can find some bubbles to put in the bath for you."

"Can I bring my toys into the bath, Mommy?" Mipha asked.

"Just a few of them, okay? Some of your toys don’t like the bath. Let's worry about that when we get back upstairs," you replied. Mipha nodded and rested her head against Link's shoulder. You squeezed your husband's hand and pulled his attention to you. "You're wearing your Royal Guard uniform tonight, right?"

Link rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway. "Just for you, my love." You tried not to let the excitement show too much on your face, but from Link's expression, you were already caught red-handed. "Promise you'll wear the red dress for me? The one from the ball while you were pregnant?" he begged with a grin. You thought about how tight that corset had been, but Link usually complained about the stiffness of his uniform.

"Fine. Deal." Link's own excitement suddenly rivaled your own. Maybe it wasn’t the worst thing in the world that the ball was tonight. Dressing up for your husband was a small price to pay to see him in that uniform. "But I know it's because you can see down-"

"Hey. Not in front of the little hero," he teased with a wink. You playfully bumped hips with him and walked back into the castle, giddy with excitement.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any formatting errors! I’m posting from my phone this week :)

"Mommy, fix my hair!" You looked in the mirror of your vanity to see Mipha sprinting over. The bow on the back of her dress was already untied and her top was ruffled. You sighed and set your hairbrush down. Your hair would have to wait.

"Here, sit right here," you said and stood up from your chair. Mipha happily climbed into the seat. She was barely able to see anything below her neck in the mirror, but she didn’t care. It was exciting to feel like a grown-up princess. "Do you want me to do a braid like Auntie Zelda has?" you asked. Mipha had always liked her hair short. You suspected it was Zelda's unintentional fault.

"Yes!" she eagerly nodded. You grabbed the brush from your vanity and got to work. "Is Auntie Zelda going to dance with me tonight?"

"I'm sure if you ask nicely she will. Remember to say 'please'," you told her.

"Yes, Mommy," she replied with a smile. You looked up in the mirror and took in your undone and still damp hair. Time was running out quickly and you hadn’t even gotten into your own dress yet. Zelda had been kind enough to lend you the same red dress you wore to the ball several years ago when you were pregnant. You were excited to get all dressed up again until you remembered the tight corset with the laces in the back. You weren’t looking forward to getting cinched into that thing again.

You finished the braid across your daughter's hair and made sure to weave a few pale green ribbons into it. They matched her dress well. "What do you think, little hero?" you asked and leaned down to press a kiss to Mipha's cheek. "I think you look like a princess."

"Thank you, Mommy."

"You're very welcome. Now come over here so I can retie your bow," you said and crouched down by the chair. As you were retying Mipha's dress bow, you noticed movement in the mirror. You tied the bow and looked to your left. Link was standing near the fireplace, the gold trim on his uniform catching the sunlight coming in through the window. You tried not to stare too long. Even after all this time, he still looked just as handsome in that uniform as he did the day you got married.

"I know you're staring." Link’s comment snapped you from your daze. You released Mipha's bow from your hands and she scurried off into her adjoining room to twirl in the mirror. Link gave you a smirk before walking over. His hat and white gloves were in his hand. "I don’t mind," he teased as you stood up from your crouched position. "Do you want help with your dress?"

"You're just trying to make me strip," you teased back. Link grinned and crossed his heart.

"I'd never do something so immoral. Now off with your lazy post-bath clothing. If I have to suffer through this event in slightly uncomfortable clothing for you, then you have to do the same for me," he chuckled. You shook your head, but shrugged off your loose pants and tunic anyway. You slipped into the underskirt first and attempted to button the back, but Link lightly slapped your hand. "I said I'd help, my flower."

"I can button it."

"Well that’s good for you, but I said I would help," he replied stubbornly and buttoned the back of the skirt for you. You let him help you into the red skirt before you picked up the bodice. You slipped the three-quarter sleeves on and Link helped adjust the bodice in the back. "How tight do you want the laces?"

"They're supposed to be as tight as you can get them," you explained. Link pulled tight on the cord, making you suck in a breath.

"Sorry. Too tight?"

"No, it's fine," you coughed slightly. Link continued to lace the back of your dress carefully, making sure it wasn’t going to restrict your airflow too horribly. When he finished, his hands drifted to your waist and he placed a kiss on your neck accompanied by a chuckle. "Oh, is seeing me suffocate funny?"

"No, it's just… I can't believe that the last time you wore this dress you were pregnant. It feels so long ago, and yet it also feels like no time has passed at all." Link came around to stand in front of you with a smile. "You look just as beautiful now as you did that night."

"And you look just as handsome," you replied and smoothed out the collar of his blue uniform. "I am a lucky woman."

"And I am a lucky man," Link replied and dipped his head to kiss you sweetly. His ungloved hands curled firmly around your hips and you tried not to tug on his collar too roughly. Mipha of course chose this moment to run back into your room and squealed in disgust.

"Ewww!" You separated from your husband and turned to the six-year-old scowling at you. For as much as she loved hanging onto you and Link, the child did not appreciate watching you hang onto your husband. You felt Link's chest rumble lightly under your palm as he laughed. He stepped away from your grasp and walked over to Mipha.

"Trust me, little love, you won't always say 'eww'." Link scooped her up into his arms as you sat down at the vanity again, determined to finish your hair this time. "But if you want to always say 'eww', that’s fine too. Boys are gross," he added quickly and brought her over to where you were busy with a brush. "Now, don’t you think Mommy looks like a princess in her red dress?" he asked and shot a quick wink at you. You smirked at him playfully.

Mipha nodded and looked over the gold embroidery on your dress. "Are you excited to dance tonight?" you asked your daughter as you pinned your hair up. Mipha snapped out of her trance and smiled eagerly.

"Yeah!" she said enthusiastically. "Can we dance now?"

"I can't right now, but maybe Daddy can," you replied and gave a sly grin to your husband. He took a few steps away from the vanity and set Mipha down on the ground. She was bouncing with excitement. It gave you a sense of relief; it would make getting her to go to sleep later a lot easier.

You watched out of the corner of your eye. Link stood across from Mipha and took a bow. He chuckled when Mipha did the same and shook his head. "That was good, but you aren’t going to bow. Instead, you're going to do what's called a curtsey," he explained.

"A cursie?" she questioned, the word catching on her tongue.

"A  _ curtsey _ . Here, let me show you." Link moved to stand beside her. "Grab onto your dress, like this," he said and grabbed onto the edges of his Royal Guard tunic and held them out. Mipha watched him carefully and did the same thing with her dress. "There you go. Now, this is the tricky part. Put your right foot like this," Link said and moved his right foot so it rested on his toes behind his flat left foot. Mipha lifted her dress more so she could see her feet. You finished pinning up your hair and turned to fully watch the scene unfold before you.

It took some time and some wobbling, but she managed to arrange her feet similarly to Link's. "That's it, little love. Now you're going to bend your knees a little, like this," he said and dropped into a quick curtsey. Mipha quickly squatted and righted herself, albeit much faster than Link did and much less gracefully, but it was still cute. She stumbled a bit when she righted herself, but she didn’t fall over. "That was perfect!" Link cheered and took your daughter's hands. Mipha gave him a toothy grin before looking at you.

"Did you see it Mommy? Did you?"

"I did, my little princess! And it was perfect!" you answered and stood from your chair. You leaned down and kissed her cheek proudly. She giddily attempted to curtsey again, still stumbling a hefty amount. You giggled and stole a glance at Link. He quickly looked away from you; it was obvious that he'd just been caught staring. You grinned, suddenly feeling the same rush you felt when you first fell in love.

"I can cursie!"

" _ Curtsey _ ," Link corrected again with a laugh. "Come on. I believe we have a ball to attend." He slipped on his gloves and placed his cap upon his head. He held his arm out to you first. "My love," he addressed you with a dashing smirk. You took his arm with a bashful smile. Link held his hand out to Mipha. "My little love," he addressed your daughter next. She happily took his hand and the three of you made your way into the hall and towards the ballroom.

* * *

"Auntie Zelda!" Mipha quickly slipped from Link's hand and ran over to the Queen. Zelda's smile beamed as she turned and caught Mipha in a hug.

"Hello, my ray of sunshine. You look absolutely beautiful," Zelda greeted her. Mipha looked delighted by the kind words, her grip on Zelda not relinquishing at all.

"What do you say?" you chided.

"Thank you, Auntie Zelda," she said shyly. Zelda stood after Mipha released her hold on her dress finally and greeted you and Link.

"I cannot help but feel the most overwhelming sense of déjà vu when I look at the both of you this way. I'm thankful that we can meet like this again under better circumstances," she said with a smile directed at you and Link.

"As am I, although I do hope that you'll join us on the dance floor this time," you countered with a smile of your own. Zelda threw her head back in laughter.

"Please, the only dance partner good enough for me is this little one right here." Zelda reached down and took Mipha's hand, who was all too happy to be spending time with her aunt. The Queen looked between the two of you before her gaze darted to Mipha. "It seems, my sunshine, that you are going to be making a grand entrance beside me, as it appears your parents are not willing to detach from one another," she said with a teasing grin aimed at you. You rolled your eyes, but Link only tightened his hold on your arm.

Mipha wasn’t the least bit offended and looked overjoyed if anything. She bounced excitedly on her toes, already gathering her dress in one hand. "Do you remember what to do, Mipha?" you asked, finally pulling her attention away from Zelda. Mipha's delighted smile fell and she looked up at Zelda with wide eyes. The expression made the Queen laugh.

"Don’t worry, I'll teach you. Remember to smile and walk carefully, okay? I'll hold your hand so you won't fall," Zelda reassured her. Mipha nodded in agreement as the door pushed open and Stefano, Zelda's royal advisor, appeared.

"Ah, the Heroine of the Bow and the Hero of the Sword. It is an honor to make your acquaintance once again. And it is a pleasure to see you this evening, Miss Mipha. You look lovely," Stefano said with a nod of his head. Mipha attempted to give a curtsey, but she stumbled a little too much, making Zelda tighten her hold on her.

"We are ready to make an entrance, Stefano. I would like to be announced alongside Miss Mipha, the Honorary Princess of Hyrule." At such a title, Mipha's eyes lit up. Stefano looked between Mipha and Zelda curiously for a moment, but said nothing more. Zelda was a fantastic ruler, even if she could be a bit unconventional. There was no room to question the Queen's methods.

"Of course, Your Majesty." Two knights approached the ballroom doors and held them open for the four of you. You could already hear the lively music you'd grown accustomed to traveling up the staircase towards you.

You closed your eyes and exhaled, trying to push out any lingering nervousness. Link noticed and stole a glance at you. "You are the most beautiful woman," he leaned over and whispered before sneakily kissing your temple. You looked at him shyly, the compliment making your cheeks match your dress.

"That's a high compliment, coming from the most handsome man," you replied with a smirk. The admiration obviously caught him by surprise based on the way a rosy hue dusted his cheeks and the tips of his ears. You made sure the others weren’t looking before you reached up and adjusted his cap, letting his bangs fall loose. “No sense in hiding these when I love them so much.” Your comment made him smile and bite his lip. You could see the desire he had to sweep you into his arms and playfully kiss your cheeks, but the present company kept you both rooted. 

Stefano moved onto the balcony above the ballroom as the melody concluded. He cleared his throat before gathering the eyes of the crowd with his booming voice. "Presenting, Her Majesty, Queen Zelda of Hyrule, and Miss Mipha, the Honorary Princess of Hyrule!" The orchestra played an extravagant fanfare as Mipha and Zelda stepped forward. You watched with bated breath, praying that Mipha wouldn’t trip on her way down the curving stairs.

True to her word, Zelda held Mipha's hand as they descended the stairs together. Zelda and Mipha reached the bottom of the stairs and you let out a sigh of relief when they were out of sight. A sudden light chuckle rumbled through the crowd and you felt your stomach warp into knots. You were just praying Mipha was still upright.

"Deep breath?" Link's soft, warm voice brought you from your thoughts. You nodded and smiled, exhaling as best as you could.

"Deep breath."

"And now presenting Knight Commander Link, the Hero of the Sword, and Lady (Y/N), the Heroine of the Bow!" You took one last breath before stepping forward with Link. It wasn’t the first time you'd been presented at a ball, but you couldn’t help the nerves that bubbled up. You gave your best smile and held onto Link tightly. The orchestra once again played a joyful fanfare as you descended the stairs. The guests below you were all politely bowed as you made your way over to Zelda's throne.

When you turned the corner of the stairs and Zelda and Mipha came into sight, you had to sink your teeth into your lip to keep from gasping. Instead of being seated at her throne, Zelda was standing beside the golden chair, smiling widely at her guests. Mipha was sitting on the throne instead, hands folded in her lap and grinning widely. You could feel Link shake beside you with barely concealed silent laughter. You were absolutely mortified, but kept a very fake smile plastered across your face.

You and Link stopped beside the throne and faced the crowd. They rose from their bowed positions and clapped. The polite applause from the crowd bounced off of the walls of the ballroom and alerted you of just how full the ballroom was. The orchestra moved into a lovely fast-paced tune and the guests resumed dancing. You took the opportunity to delicately slip from Link's grasp and glare at Mipha. Zelda quickly waved you off.

"Please, Lady (Y/N), don’t worry so much. Miss Mipha was just excited about the ball and I truly don’t mind sharing. It's nice to survey my ballroom from a slightly different perspective for a change," she told you with a reassuring wink. You were going to scold both of them later regardless, and if Link didn’t stop his silent laughter that you could barely make out, he was next on your lecture list.

Mipha watched one of the couples spin their way across the porcelain floor and she made a sound of awe. "Auntie Zelda, will you dance with me?"

"Why, Miss Mipha, it would be an absolute honor," Zelda replied with a hand over her heart and a gentle curtsey. Mipha leapt out of Zelda's throne and took her hand with a hop in her step. The two of them joined the crowded dance floor as Link looped your arm back around his.

"She is quite the handful," he said, his smile all too mischievous for your liking. You were tempted to elbow him in the gut.

"I wonder whose fault that is," you replied, your smile still a permanent fixture on your face and your gaze ahead.

"Yours." You squeezed Link's arm a little tighter. "Okay, okay! Ours. It's our fault." You continued to squeeze, not looking over at him. "Fine, it's my fault."

"That's what I thought you said," you replied and looked at him finally. He was rolling his shoulder, trying to work out the sudden soreness in his arm.

"I'd offer you a dance, but I'm afraid you might bruise me," Link teased.

"You mean you're not going to drag me out there and make a fool of me this evening?" you quipped back.

"Oh darling, you hardly need my help for that," he scoffed.

"I'm going to kill you later. Shall we dance?"

"Not if I smother you first. And that would be lovely." Link guided you out to join your daughter and Zelda on the dance floor.

Dancing in the middle of a crowded ballroom was certainly no easy task in the beginning. It was already incredibly nerve-wracking being a person of public interest and having your every move watched closely, but that sense was always heightened at a ball. Link had spent considerable time over the years teaching you to dance. He was relatively graceful thanks to his fancy footwork skills in swordplay. 

You gave a gentle curtsey and Link offered a subtle bow. You rested a hand on Link's shoulder and the other hand in his upturned and outstretched palm. His hand came to rest at the small of your back just before the skirt of your dress began. As the melody reached your ears, you let Link lead you across the tiles confidently. He smiled admirably at you, which made you cock a brow at him. "What's got you so enchanted?"

"You, silly flower," he replied with a scoff. "You have become the best dance partner over the years."

"I'm lucky I had such a great teacher," you said before Link guided you into a twirl. "Just promise not to dip me this time. You almost dropped your pregnant wife last time."

"I did not. I would never drop you," he said in mock offense. You moved through the motions of the dance in companionable silence until Link chuckled. "I’m glad I got to see you in this gown again in this ballroom. Last time feels like a far off dream now."

"It does," you agreed with a smile. "I wish I would’ve done things differently back then."

"I do too, but that’s okay. You gave me the most perfect and wonderful daughter regardless," Link said with a reassuring smile. "Everything worked out the way it was supposed to and everything is going to be okay from here on out." The song concluded and you ended the dance the same way you began it: a curtsey and a bow. The crowd clapped and you suddenly felt a hand land on your shoulder. You turned and noticed Zelda beside you.

"Would you mind if I stole your husband away for a dance? I believe there's another lovely lady that would like a dance with you," Zelda said and gestured to Mipha, who was beaming up at you like she'd won a million rupees. You smiled and nodded.

"Of course. I'm sure you can make him look good," you replied with a wink to Link. He huffed at you. His smile didn't falter for a second but his eyes told you he would get his revenge for such a remark later. You stepped away from the pair of them and took Mipha's hand excitedly.

"Wait, Mommy, we have to cursie first," she said and pulled her hand from yours. You chuckled and nodded.

"Of course, little hero." You smoothly curtseyed for your daughter and Mipha returned the gesture in a sloppy but enthusiastic fashion. You took Mipha's hands and spun and swayed with her excitedly to the song.

Link and Zelda danced several feet away. Zelda watched you and Mipha over Link's shoulder with a graceful smile. "This suits you," she said and returned her gaze to Link. He twirled them until he could watch you and Mipha over Zelda's shoulder. He chuckled and nodded.

"I'm very happy."

"I can tell. I'm very glad that events transpired the way they did. I know you were always uncertain if marriage and fatherhood were for you. You used to go on about how difficult it would be finding someone to accept you." She paused to smile proudly at him. "I'm glad you have her."

"She's been nothing but understanding and wonderful. I'm incredibly lucky to have her and Mipha."

"She's good for you, you know. I often worried about you, especially after your father passed. I know you had the knights, but I couldn’t help but be concerned about your wellbeing," Zelda said and gave his hand a friendly squeeze.

"Well thank Hylia someone was willing to put up with me for life," Link replied with a laugh. "I'm sure you're relieved to be free of such a duty."

"Very," she sharply replied, but ended up laughing shortly after.

You twirled Mipha again and she gleefully laughed, sending a shot of joy through your system. Link's words echoed through your mind as you watched your daughter so happy.  _ Everything is going to be okay from here on out. _

Just as those words settled into your mind, a loud laughter echoed through the ballroom. You stopped dancing and your head shot up quickly. The orchestra stopped playing and silence swept through the room. Another loud laugh bounced off of the walls and there was no mistaking it this time. Your gaze locked with Link's across the room. It was clear he was thinking the same thing you were.  _ Move. Now. _

You turned to call out to the knight closest to you, but you were a second too slow. Strong gusts of wind whipped through the ballroom as the mocking laughter multiplied. Yiga Clan soldiers filled the ballroom quickly, seemingly appearing from nowhere. You took Mipha's hand and pulled her to where Zelda and Link were. "All three of you need to go right now," Link demanded.

"I am not leaving you," you snapped, your tone leaving no room for debate. "Take Mipha and get through the passageway. We'll reunite in the dining hall once things are clear," you told Zelda. She was about to deny you, but a small whimper from Mipha made her hesitate. "Go with Auntie Zelda. You'll be okay. Mommy and Daddy will be there soon," you comforted as Zelda picked up your daughter. You kissed Mipha's cheek and took off running to the place Link stashed his sword behind Zelda's throne during balls. When you heard footsteps running beside you, you knew Link wasn’t far behind.

"I don’t agree with this," he grumbled as you pulled your bow from its hiding spot.

"That’s a damn shame," you replied and handed him the Master Sword. You slung the quiver over your shoulder and loaded your bow. You looked back up at the ballroom. It was utter chaos. The Yiga were popping up all over the place, scaring the guests left and right. Zelda and Mipha were thankfully gone from the scene and the knights in the room were doing everything they could to keep the guests safe. Most of them were ushering them out and towards the dining hall.

You drew your bow back and fired a shot, turning one of the Yiga into a cloud of purple smoke. You could barely raise your arms in your dress to pull back the bow, but it would have to do. Link dashed out into the crowd to help the knights. You followed suit, your dress fluttering about as you fired arrows.

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a Yiga soldier sneaking up the stairs. You didn’t waste time and dashed after them, chasing them out of the ballroom and down the hall.

They were running hastily, as if they weren’t sure where their final destination really was. They continued to make sharp turns to throw you off. You didn’t have enough of a straightaway to fire an arrow before they would turn another corner. "Get back here!" you called out. You had quite the bone to pick with the Yiga Clan after all of the damage they'd done to your husband over the years. You weren’t going to let this go that easy.

You chased the soldier until they were in Zelda's room. You pushed aside the doors in time to see the soldier slipping out the window on the far side of the room and scaling the wall. You dashed over and leaned out. You aimed your bow up and took a shot at the Yiga vigilante, but they ducked inside the window of Zelda's study before the arrow could reach them. You growled and ran up the stairs to Zelda's study, taking them two at a time and almost tripping over your ball gown multiple times.

You burst into Zelda's study to see the soldier looming over Zelda's notes. They ripped something quickly out of her notebook before turning their attention to you. You raised your bow, but had to instead turn it quickly to block the soldier's attack. They had a sickle in their hand and were pushing it against your bow. You threw their balance off with a harsh shove of your bow.

You were quick to swing the hard wooden weapon at them, but the Yiga footsoldier was faster. They swiped their sickle at you, nicking your exposed collarbone slightly. It was enough of a delay that the soldier escaped through the window and into the night. You fired an arrow, but they were gone before it even got close. "Wait!" you called out and leaned out of the window, searching for any trace of the soldier. They had completely disappeared and vanished into a cloud of smoke.

Thundering footsteps approached the study. You whirled around to see Link, out of breath but otherwise unharmed. "Are you okay?" he asked and quickly gathered you into his arms. You nodded and fought to catch your breath together. "You're bleeding," Link said. You reached a hand up and dabbed at the cut, your fingers coming away with very subtle red spots.

"I'm fine. Where's Mipha? Is everyone okay?"

"Everyone is fine. The soldiers were there one moment and gone the next. No one is harmed- well, except you," he shrugged and grabbed a cloth from Zelda's workbench.

"They took something from Zelda's notes," you said after a moment. You nodded to the notebook that lay open on her workbench, the tears in it obvious even from a distance. Link pressed the cloth to your cut to stop the bleeding. You reached your hand up to take over the job from him.

"Let's reunite with the others and then we can try and figure out what happened. Come on, Zelda and Mipha are probably worried sick about you," he said, his concern for you much higher than any of Zelda's missing doodles.

You nodded and let him guide you out of the study and back towards the dining room, where the rest of the guests were. You felt the way his arm was wrapped around you tightly and knew it was a gesture of protection, not admiration. You looked back over your shoulder at the study as Link's words once again echoed in your mind.

_ Everything is going to be okay from here on out. _


End file.
